Harold Song
by beyondmythought-s
Summary: Beth wished she could cry, but she couldn't. It was like her body had run out of tears. She knew the song had mentioned well this could almost kill me, but the truth was she didn't want to fight anymore. Visiting him and seeing him tell another woman that she was the only one for him had been the final nail in the coffin. She wasn't going to take away someone who made him happy.


Beth had heard her phone going off again, but she didn't really want to speak to Rick or Maggie about when she would be delivering the studio her newest single. She looked over at her laptop that had the newest single and a video she personally mixed. It was probably cruel that this what would be her final act. She just couldn't bring herself to feel anything other than an overwhelming numbness.

The line from the song that kept repeating in her head was, "The life is fading from me while you watched my heart bleed. Young love murder that is what this must be."

Beth wished she could cry, but she couldn't. It was like her body had run out of tears. She knew the song had mentioned well this could almost kill me, but the truth was she didn't want to fight anymore. Visiting him and seeing him tell another woman that she was the only one for him had been the final nail in the coffin. She wasn't going to take away someone who made him happy. He deserved that.

Beth just knew she wouldn't be able to handle the empty hotel rooms anymore. She had messed up and that was entirely on her. She had thought that she could take him on her dream of being a celebrated pop star, but hadn't even considered his dream of owning a garage. He had accomplished that dream now. Unfortunately, Beth was just realizing her dream had always been him. Beth had pulled herself from her seated position.

She arranged five envelopes, one for her family, one for her friends, one for the studio, one for her fans, and a final one for Daryl Dixon. She figured he'd never read it nor would he care about it. Though, the letter had helped her come to terms with this decision. Daryl deserved that new girl and Beth was never gonna be her.

She put the plug in the tub and began filling it with warm water. She looked in the mirror and all she saw was the culmination of every mistake she had made. A sob tore from her throat as she looked at herself. Before she could even stop herself she had punched the mirror. She looked at her bleeding fist expecting pain, but she felt nothing. She took the largest piece of glass and dragged it across her wrist. She expected to feel pain and again she felt nothing. In that moment all the tears her body had withheld from her came pouring out. She could feel the pull of the sleeping pills she took earlier. She mentally apologized to whoever would find her in the morning before climbing into the tub and closing her eyes. Beth wasn't sure how long her eyes were closed, but she felt someone shaking her and screaming her name. She couldn't even make herself open her eyes. Maybe, the end of her numbness was finally here.

Daryl was pacing his hotel room. It had been a little over a year since he walked away from the best thing to ever happen to him. He had claimed she was making him sacrifice his dream for hers, but that wasn't the truth. He had been scared. She was becoming a star and he didn't want her to realize she was better off without him. Daryl's phone vibrated and he opened it to see a text from Merle.

Merle had told him to turn on the news immediately. That was strange. Usually Merle gave no fucks about the news and not enough to ask his brother to tune in. Daryl flipped on the television and luckily it was already on a news station.

"This just in, pop sensation Beth Greene has been rushed to an undisclosed Atlanta hospital after what has been reported as an attempted suicide…"

The reporter had kept droning on about the lack of facts surrounding this, but Daryl couldn't hear any of that. His legs couldn't handle his weight as he collapsed in the hotel room. Attempted suicide? That wasn't the Beth Greene he knew. Anytime he saw her on television she always looked so damn happy. That made it easier to reconcile with walking away.

The reporter caught his attention again when they announced they had the last music video slash song Beth Greene had recorded before attempting to kill herself.

Part of Daryl didn't want to watch, but part of him couldn't pull his eyes away from the television.

The video began with Beth wearing just a white slip with her knees pulled to her chest in front of a bare white wall. She looked directly in the camera and you could see the pain in her eyes as she sang completely acapella.

I miss your soft lips, I miss your white sheets  
I miss the scratch of your unshaved face on my cheek  
And this is so hard 'cause I didn't see  
That you were the love of my life and it kills me

I see your face in strangers on the street  
I still say your name when I'm talking in my sleep  
And in the limelight, I play it off fine  
But I can't handle it when I turn off my night light

But I can't handle it when I turn off my night light

They say that true love hurts, well this could almost kill me  
Young love murder, that is what this must be  
I would give it all to not be sleeping alone  
Alone

The life is fading from me while you watch my heart bleed  
Young love murder, that is what this must be  
I would give it all to not be sleeping alone  
Alone

Remember the time we jumped the fence when  
The Stones were playing and we were too broke to get in  
You held my hand and they made me cry while  
I swore to God it was the best night of my life

Or when you took me across the world  
We promised that this would last forever but now I see  
It was my past life, a beautiful time  
Drunk off of nothing but each other 'til the sunrise

Drunk off of nothing but each other 'til the sunrise

They say that true love hurts, well this could almost kill me  
Young love murder, that is what this must be  
I would give it all to not be sleeping alone  
Alone

The life is fading from me while you watch my heart bleed  
Young love murder, that is what this must be  
I would give it all to not be sleeping alone  
Alone

It was a past life, a beautiful time  
Drunk off of nothing but each other 'til the sunrise

They say that true love hurts, well this could almost kill me  
Young love murder, that is what this must be  
I would give it all to not be sleeping alone  
Alone

The life is fading from me while you watch my heart bleed  
Young love murder, that is what this must be  
I would give it all to not be sleeping alone  
Alone 

Daryl felt his world caving in on him. The lyrics were a bitter pill to swallow because he knew they were about him. If he had just gotten his head out of his ass a day sooner maybe he could have prevented this. Maybe if he spent less time rehearsing what he was going to tell Beth with Tara and just came they could have fixed things. He should have listened to Rick months ago instead of taking his offer recently to come see her.

His phone vibrated again and the only reason he bothered answering was because it was Rick.

"Hey man, I'm sure you've seen the news. Fuck, uh just come to Mercy Hospital. She left you a letter" Rick rambled. You could hear the grief in his voice.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Daryl was proud that his voice didn't crack with the question. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer, but knew that he needed it as well.

"I don't know. She's getting a blood transfusion now. Doctor's said it's up to her whether she will make it or not" Rick's voice faded towards the end of the question like he was catching his breath.

"Look Daryl, just come prepared to say goodbye" At the end Daryl could hear Rick muffle his sobs before hanging up.

Daryl had punched the wall before gathering his motorcycle helmet and heading out to the hospital.

It took Daryl exactly thirteen minutes and fifty four seconds to reach the hospital. Not that he was counting or anything. He went to the ICU where the nurse was being a bitch when he tried signing in. It took Rick coming out for him to be let back.

His heart dropped to his stomach when he saw Beth unconscious and hooked up to several machines. He collapsed in the seat beside her and made a note of the gauze wrapped around her wrist.

He wanted to grab her hand, but wasn't sure it was appropriate. He looked around the room expecting to see Beth's family but none of them were present. Rick must've noticed Daryl's confusion.

"They're flying in. Beth had got them that family vacation to Ireland. They won't be in until late tomorrow." Rick bit his lip before handing Daryl his envelope.

"I'm going to step out to make some phone calls. Read it if you want" and with a squeeze to Daryl's shoulder Rick exited the room.

Daryl debated whether or not to read the letter. He told himself to man up and fucking read what she had to say.

I don't really know how to begin this letter. I want you to know I'm sorry for fucking everything up. You meant the world to me and I threw that away for a career I don't even want anymore. I went to your garage and I saw you with that brunette and you looked so happy. I hope you get to keep that happiness because I've never met someone more deserving of it. I think this was always my fate and I've accepted that. I just want you to know that you were loved and I hope you keep chasing that happiness. Don't blame yourself for this. All of my choices led to here. I just want you to stay happy. I'm sure you'll be better off with someone who recognizes how great you are. I guess I can end this with thank you for loving me for that short period. I'll always remember that as my best time of my life.

The letter cut off and Daryl couldn't stop his hands from shaking.

"I won't have any happiness without you Beth, dammit, it's you it's always been you" Daryl was clutching Beth's hand crying.

The only reply he received was the sound of Beth's heart monitor flat lining.

* * *

A/N: Whomp there it is! Just kidding, uhm thank you to coolstoryshawty and jazznsmoke for encouraging me (read relentlessly pushing) me to publish this. I do plan on updating my other stories. I've just been caught up with some personal drama. So, be on the look out for those. As always, leave a review and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: As always, I do not own TWD or The Harold Song performed by Ke$ha (listen to the deconstructed version)


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